Drones have been spotted over New Jersey’s largest reservoir, worrying local authorities

There have been confirmed mysterious drone sightings near Round Valley Reservoir and the Hunterdon County 911 Center in Flemington, county officials told residents this week.

It is unclear why the drones were flying near the large reservoir in Clinton and other county buildings or whether they are related to the other mysterious drone sightings reported across the state this month. But county officials said the sightings were concerning.

“We take these sightings seriously and are working closely with federal authorities to investigate and address any concerns,” Brayden Fahey, Hunterdon County public safety director and Office of Emergency Management coordinator, said in a message on the county’s website Commissioners.

According to the state, Round Valley is the largest reservoir in the state and the second deepest lake in New Jersey. It spans 2,350 acres and holds up to 55 billion gallons of water at full capacity.

Hunterdon County Sheriff Fred Brown urged residents to report drone sightings to the FBI.

FBI officials told NJ Advance Media they had no updates Friday.

MORE: The FBI is asking New Jersey residents to help solve the drone mystery

For several weeks now, New Jersey residents have been seeing mysterious drones hovering over their homes and neighborhoods at night. The drones, sometimes traveling in groups, have been spotted nightly in some areas.

The FBI is taking the lead in the investigation and has asked for information from the public to determine whether the drones pose a threat to local residents.

On Thursday, Gov. Phil Murphy tweeted that the drones pose no known threat to the public. Law enforcement officials in Morris and Somerset counties said the same thing earlier this week.

Local police are putting pressure on state and local officials for answers about the nightly drone sightings, a Morris County police chief told residents earlier this week.

MORE: More mysterious drones spotted over New Jersey This is what we know.

Florham Park Police Chief Joseph Orlando sent a message to residents Wednesday saying drones “have been reported over critical infrastructure such as water reservoirs, power lines, train stations, police departments and military installations.”

He did not respond to a request for details about the reservoirs and locations near which the drones were spotted.

“While we currently have no evidence or information to suggest that these drones currently pose an imminent threat, their presence appears to be nefarious in nature,” Orlando’s statement said.

Point Pleasant Beach police said three drones were spotted Thursday evening, mostly hovering along the shoreline and along train tracks near the southern end of Ocean County. Local police informed state and federal authorities.

“We will continue to monitor and notify appropriate authorities of all drone activity,” Point Pleasant Beach Chief Robert J. Kowalewski said in a post on Facebook Friday.

The FAA has closed airspace to drones over the Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster and the Picatinny Arsenal in Morris County, where unauthorized overflights were reported last month.

According to SILive.com, a Staten Island resident also reported seeing drones, including near the Howland Hook Marine Terminal on the flight path to Newark Liberty International Airport.

Officials at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which oversees the airport, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella wrote to the FAA and FBI on Thursday, asking them to expand their investigation into the airspace over his district. His office reported drone “hotspots” near the corporate commons on South Avenue and the Howland Hook Marine Terminal, with sightings as far inland as New Springville.

“It is strange and quite bizarre that no one can figure out who is flying these drones, where they come from and what their purpose is,” he wrote.